1. Early Stages of the Haitian
Revolution

2. Social Unrest in Haiti on the
Eve of Revolution
-Many white
planters
wanted
independence
from
Revolutionary
France (1789-
1799).

3. Social Unrest in Haiti on the
Eve of Revolution
-Free persons of color,
attracted to the
concept of equality
embedded in the
Declaration of the
Rights of Man, were
struggling for full
rights of citizenship.

4. Social Unrest in Haiti on the
Eve of Revolution
-Slaves, hearing
the talk of
human equality,
and oppressed
by inhuman
conditions,
revolted to
improve their

5. The Revolution Begins (1791)
-In August of 1791,
Dutty Boukman, a
former slave and
voodoo priest,
organized a slave
rebellion, which is
often considered
the starting point
of the Haitian
Revolution.
Painting of voodoo
ceremony held at
Bois Caiman.

6. The Revolution Begins
(1791)
-Revolutionaries burned down fields,
sugar processing facilities, and homes.
-The uprising spread quickly and
enslaved individuals from other
plantations joined the revolt.

7. Reaction of White Colonists
-Many whites panicked and tried to get
help from other places-Santo Domingo,
Cuba, the US-but no one would help
them.
-Terrified of another attack, whites began
to try and uncover new plots and
conspiracies.
-Whites killed hundreds of slaves in an
attempt to keep the revolt from
spreading.

8. Meanwhile...across the
ocean...

9. Change Brings Strife in France
In 1792, France
declared itself a
republic and
abolished the
monarchy. A
year later, Louis
XVI is tried and
executed.

10. Change Brings Strife in France
Leaders in Austria, Prussia, Spain &
Britain mobilize their armies to
contain the Revolution, which they
perceive as a threat to their power &
order & stability in their countries.
Spain/Britian see this as an
opportunity to try and get their hands
on the colony and invade SD.

11. Rise of Louverture
-Both Britain & Spain tried to
get help for their side,
agreeing to given land, etc.,
to rebel leaders that came
over to their side.
-Toussaint Louverture, a rebel
leader who would later
become one of the key figures
of the revolution, took
advantage of this
arrangement and helped the
Spanish.

12. Louverture Helps the French?
In 1794, the French government abolished slavery in France
and all French colonies.
Shortly thereafter, Louverture abandoned the Spanish and
joined the French.
By 1795, in the wake of several losses in Europe and the
Caribbean, Spain signed a treaty with France and agreed
to leave the island.
In 1797, Louverture, with the assistance of another leader,
Andre Rigaud, ousted the English from the island.

13. War of Knives
-In 1799, Louverture and Rigaud were the two main
sources of power in the colony. Louverture
controlled the north and west regions of the
colony and Rigaud controlled the South.
-Disagreement emerged over whose interests would
be promoted in this new society-those of
Louverture’s black supporters or those of the
wealthy affranchi who made up the bulk of
Rigaud’s followers.
-The brutal war lasted for over a year, but
eventually, Louverture, with the help of the British
overcame Rigaud.

14. Choices!
From here, we are going to look at the Haitian
Revolution through the lense of individuals in
Saint-Domingue as well as France. We are
going to use the same format as the French
Rev Role Play (Crisis & Solutions) Activity.

15. Work Time
You have the remainder of the class to complete
layered curriculum work.
Suggested activities:
-Vocabulary
-Enslaved People’s Experience-Diary Activity
-Documentary & Questions (use back
computers)